


Reminiscence

by RavenLexis



Series: Memories [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Hogwarts Fifth Year, Hogwarts Sixth Year, M/M, POV Alternating
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-01
Updated: 2018-07-01
Packaged: 2019-05-31 22:04:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,684
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15128747
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RavenLexis/pseuds/RavenLexis
Summary: Neither of them is prepared for this, yet neither of them cares of how or why.





	Reminiscence

**Author's Note:**

> Obliviate had been a story that I wrote on a whim. I was scrolling down on Tumblr and there they were, inspirations, calling out to me to write. Just write. It was a story that I wrote wholeheartedly, not much thinking and a whole lot of feeling. When it ended, it was with a mix of sadness, happiness and fulfillment.
> 
> This story is a prequel to Obliviate. But writing this, I read Obliviate all over again to search for the feelings, for the motivation that I needed. I hope you enjoy this story as much as I enjoy writing it.

“Do you know how obvious you are being, Potter?” Malfoy drawls, leaning back against the wall, when Harry rounds the corner.

“What the fu-!”

The blond smirks and tut mockingly at his face, “Watch your language, Potter. Set an example for the younger students, will you?” He casually inspects his nails.

Narrowing his eyes, Harry hides the galleon in his pocket. “What are you on about now, Malfoy?” he asks, feigning confusion and anger. Anger comes more genuine than the confusion.

“Oh, spare me from your atrocious lies,” Malfoy rolls his eyes and looks at him seriously, “I don’t know what you and your friends are thinking, but defying Umbridge is the last thing you should do.”

Harry moves faster than he ever had, wand poised to Malfoy’s neck and pinning him to the wall. He snarls, “How did you know?”

Despite the surprise, Malfoy’s only reaction is the widening of his eyes, drawing Harry’s attention to the grey irises. The blond doesn’t reach for his wand and keeps his gaze steady on Harry, “So many of your friends went missing at a certain period of time. They might not go all at once, but one only needs to pay attention to find out that they all had the same destination.”

“I swear,” he starts, “If you tell _anyone_ -!” Malfoy cuts him off, swatting his wand away from his pale neck, grey eyes narrowing in return. He dusts off his robes and draws up to his full height, merely a few centimetres taller than Harry, glaring with familiar disdain in his eyes. Malfoy’s hands slowly curl into fists and Harry is almost giddy. If Malfoy throw the first punch, he’ll have a reason to punch back.

Oddly enough, Malfoy takes a deep breath and loosen his fists. He reaches up and pinches the bridge of his nose, sighing exasperatedly before looking back to Harry. “You make it really hard to have a civil conversation, Potter,” Harry opens his mouth to retort, but Malfoy stares sternly at him, “I cannot reason with you right now, not when you’re so eager to fight.” He pauses, eyes flickering, “If you’re ready to listen what I have to say, Potter, meet me at the Quidditch Pitch after dinner. We’ll talk then.”

With that, Malfoy walks away.

 

*****

 

Not for the first time since his confrontation with Potter, Draco curses the git. It’s difficult enough for him to decide what he needs to do, but thanks to Potter, Draco is now second guessing himself. He knows what’s needed to be done, but turning his back against his family is... it’s _sickening._  Draco is well aware that his Father’s beliefs are wrong, that the Dark Lord should be stopped. The knowledge of what he had heard last summer is the reason he seeks Potter out in the first place.

But does Potter make it easy to trust him? Of course not, the infuriating idiot just had to rile Draco up and drive him against the wall, _literally._

The sound of crunching grass pulls him from his thoughts and Draco composes himself. No need to give Potter the satisfaction of seeing him agitated, he needs to focus on what he sets out to do.

Something shimmers in his peripheral view, but when he turns to see what exactly it was, Potter stops a metre in front of him. He has both hands in his pockets, one of which –Draco suspects- is holding his wand. Crossing his arms to hide his shaking hands, Draco ignores the urge to sneer and nods instead, “Potter.”

“What do you have to say, Malfoy?”

 

*****

 

After Malfoy walks away to return to his dorm, Hermione removes the Invisibility Cloak and turns to Harry, who’s looking at Malfoy’s retreating back. She takes a deep breath, “Are you sure about this, Harry?” Despite herself, she’s already planning what they can do with Malfoy’s help.

Harry sighs into his scarf, turning to her when Malfoy is no longer in sight, “How are we going to tell Ron?”

 

*****

 

On the last day of Fifth Year, Malfoy pulls Harry aside. They hide in an alcove just twenty minutes before they supposed to be heading to the train station. He notices the shaking in Malfoy’s hands, before he immediately hide them in the pockets of his robe. “Listen, Potter,” he starts then shakes his head, “Harry.” It sounds unsure, but Harry feels something shifts between them. Mal- Draco tries again, “Harry, I know this might not be encouraging, but this summer might be it for me.”

“What do you mean?” Harry finds a flicker of fear in those grey irises before it’s gone.

M- Draco takes a shaky breath, “I might need to receive the Mark.” And although his voice is steady, he knows that he’s terrified. He’s searching for assurance and after doing as best as he can to help them, Harry knows that this truce is more than that. Draco’s on his side, not Voldemort’s, not Dumbledore’s, but on his side. He’s risking more than his life, he’s risking his family and his future.

Something bubbles up in his chest and Harry impulsively goes along with it. He reaches out and put his arms around Draco’s neck, pulling him close, “If anything happens to you, if there’s anything I need to know, owl me. Take care of yourself and owl me.”

Moments pass, then Harry feels arms around his waist.

 

*****

 

His arm burns and he gasps, but Draco forces himself to keep going despite the pain. Black dots mar his sight and his head feels like it’s filled with cotton, his ears buzzing with noises that don’t make sense. It was horrific, and his mind won’t be forgetting the revolting ritual any time soon, the red eyes and mad cackling laugh firmly planted in his memories. Draco remembers his father’s eyes behind the hideous mask, cold fear mingling with forced haughtiness.

It was flimsy mask that even he could see through.

Draco gasps as his vision momentarily darkens and his panic rises along his heartbeat. It doesn’t feel like he’s breathing and his hand stops its movement. He forces himself to breathe in and out, each exhale loud and slicing through the silence of the room. When his sight returns, he’s not quite sure if the dots on the parchment are from his quill. Pain races up his arm and Draco shakily finishes his note.

“Kiki,” he calls weakly, releasing the quill and cradling his arm, not quite touching the permanent – _Merlin, it’s permanent_ \- inky scar, to his chest.

The small elf pops in quietly, shivering in fear almost as badly as Draco’s shivering from the pain. He motions slightly to the note with his chin, “Take that to Harry Potter, you hear me? Don’t owl it and don’t send it through public post. Slide it right under Harry Potter’s bedroom door and when you come back, I don’t want to know where he is. Keep his location and my note a secret, Kiki.”

Kiki nods rapidly, “Yes, Master! Kiki will, sir!” he squeaks as he’s torn between horror at the sight of his Master in pain and the thought of going near Harry Potter himself. With a quick shuffling for the note, he bows and pops out of the room, leaving Draco to stagger to his bed.

 

_Marked. They’re all in the Manor._

_D_

 

*****

 

Harry searches the crowd to try and find Draco. He’d seen him in Diagon and Knockturn during the end of summer, but it wasn’t like Harry could approach him then. Ron and Hermione are nowhere to be found either. Flash of pale blond hair has him stopping, but Draco’s too far away and he can’t just run up to him in the full view of other students.

“Alright, Harry?”

He startles slightly, turning to Luna to meet her absentminded smile. Giving her a distracted smile of his own, his eyes continue tracking Draco’s movement, “I’m fine, Luna, thanks.”

She seems to follow his eyes, “He seems scared, yes? I wonder what he’s seen over the summer.”

_That’s what I’m worried about._

 

*****

 

Two days after his first lesson with Dumbledore, Harry finds Draco outside the Room after curfew. His face is thinner than the start of the year, he has dark smudges under his eyes and his shoulders are tense. Removing his cloak, Harry approaches with a shuffle to alert Draco of his presence. Draco’s shoulders tighten even more at the sound, barely relaxing even after he realises that it’s only him.

“Harry,” he says in a clipped tone. Harry’s relieved when he doesn’t run away, even when it seems that he’s reluctant to let Harry approach. In a move that he suspects as a habit at that point, Draco hides his left arm behind his back. The thought somehow saddens him and he stops a couple metres away.

“I’ve been trying to find you since the term started,” Harry says in lieu of a greeting before he softens his tone slightly, “Are you alright?”

Grey eyes darken slightly and Draco straightens the sleeve of his immaculate robes, “Yes, I’m quite fine, thank you.” His hands drop down and he visibly relaxed his shoulders, “Is there something you need from me, Harry?”

Harry considers pursuing the topic, but from the tight lines around his eyes and the way he’s standing, Draco is not likely to answer. Reluctantly dropping the matter, he shakes his head, “I just wanted to make sure you’re okay. I-We’ve been a bit worried about you.”

Draco smiles without much humour, “Even Weasley? I can’t imagine him worrying about me.”

“Well,” he says as he returns the smile, “Not as much him as ‘Mione.”

Draco nods, and silence reigns for a short while before Harry closes the remaining distance and takes his left wrist gently, surprising both of them. He holds on though and meets the wide grey eyes determinedly, “I’m glad you’re here, Draco.”

If Draco’s eyes suddenly glaze over, it’s certainly because of the dust in the air.

 

*****

 

To both of their surprise, Draco is the one who takes action. Granger and Weasley had gone out of the abandoned classroom they chose to meet and he had expected Harry to follow them along. The knowledge of the Horcruxes had left the three Gryffindors sick and Draco can admit –at least to himself- that he’s still as disgusted about it as much as they are. Harry’s lessons with Dumbledore had revealed as much and with the addition of what he had managed to hear from the talks he eavesdropped upon, it won’t be a pleasant experience destroying them.

Harry stays, brows furrowed as he broods beside him. “Harry?” he calls quietly, waiting until green eyes meet his before continuing, “What are you thinking so hard about?”

He doesn’t answer for a moment and Draco lets him formulate his thoughts, playing with the ends of his house scarf. It’s been colder with Halloween approaching, and while he doesn’t want to, he needs to start an attempt against Dumbledore soon. Planning the ‘attack’ had been ridiculously exhausting, as it needs to look authentic enough to seem real yet safe enough that no one is harmed in the process. None of the Gryffindors agreed at first, but he explained and he proposed a plan, dissected again and again by Granger to ensure no casualties. Even Weasley agreed grudgingly that it is in their best interest to keep Draco’s alliance a secret.

“It’s just,” Harry’s voice brings him back to the present, “I’ve just realised that we might need to track down most of the Horcruxes. With so little clue about their locations, it might take months or more to retrieve and destroy them all.”

Draco nods understandingly, “It might be difficult to find them, and I wish that I could’ve found out more from the Death Eaters, but with Granger and I researching and your private lessons with Dumbledore, I’m sure the three of you can collect them all.”

“What do you mean the three of us?”

The incredulous tone has him turning to Harry with a questioning stare, “Surely you know that I cannot come along with you? That will defeat the purpose of our research.”

Harry seems troubled by this, “Why not? Your help will speed things up. Not to mention that leaving you with the Death Eaters is not an option.”

Turning sideways in his seat, Draco drops a hand to Harry’s shoulder, “I’m Marked, Harry. The Dark Mark is not just a symbol; it’s a way for the Dark Lord-“

“Voldemort,” Harry interrupts.

“...V-Voldemort, then. It’s a way for _him_ to summon the Death Eaters, to _locate_ them. If I were to go with you, your location would be discovered and none of us would survive. I have to stay behind.”

Slowly, he shakes his head in denial, “I’m not just going to leave you behind! You’re not safe and I-“

Draco squeezes his shoulder slightly, “It’s not about my safety, Harry. We’re at war and we cannot afford to lose any advantage we have over the Da-Vol-Voldemort. No, I must stay behind and remain with my parents.”

Biting his lower lip, Harry stays silent. His green eyes are troubled and he looks at Draco in a mix of worried and something else that he can’t recognise. Releasing his hand from Harry’s shoulder, Draco says nothing else and lets him be. There has always been something between them that Draco cannot put into words, buried under disdain, envy, fights and scathing remarks. The two of them always take actions and reacts to the other explosively. But with Harry staring at him in the abandoned classroom, he has to wonder if his actions really were a product of hatred.

“I...” Harry tries, voice barely a whisper, “I don’t want to leave you behind.”

And it’s suddenly clear to him what he wants. It might not be a smart decision on their part, going into this in the middle of a war, with threats looming over them. But he finally understands the look in Harry’s eyes, reflecting his own that he never actually acknowledges. Neither of them is prepared for this, yet neither of them cares of how or why.

Draco lifts his hand to cradle the side of Harry’s face, and he knows that Harry understands when he pushes into the touch. It’s unexpectedly tender, the way he strokes his cheekbone, slowly closing the distance between them. He moves carefully, letting Harry decide if he wants to pull away, that he doesn’t want this after all. The beats of his heart speeds up as Harry stays in his place and their breaths wash over each other.

When their lips finally fit together, Draco closes his eyes. He’s warm and pliant against Draco, moving languidly along as his hand slides into Draco’s hair. There’s no spark, no explosions behind their eyelids. There’s only a gentle fire dancing and flickering in their chests, warm and comfortable as they kiss. Draco captures his lower lip between his, nips gently and licks along the shape, capturing the slight groan before pulling away carefully. Harry moves forward and kisses chastely him once, twice, hand twisting in his hair before resting his head in the crook of Draco’s shoulder.

For the first time since he knows the truth, Draco lets go of his doubts and allows himself to just _feel._

 

*****

 

He snuggles deeper into the comforting scent. The pleasant mix of peppermint and lemon surrounds his senses and Harry can’t remember the last time he feels so safe, but he knows this scent. He knows the feelings that he associates so closely to this. Tranquillity, happiness, certainty... he loves this scent.

A gentle hand cards through his unruly hair, slowly bringing his mind to focus. Harry remembers this sensation, the slow and almost teasing tugs, the blunt nails carefully scratching along his head and the comforting weight of the hand itself. It’s as if something clicks into place and for the first time since he ever felt it, the lost and yearning fall away. He’s found exactly what he’s missing.

**Author's Note:**

> And with this story, this particular AU is finished. I might come back and edit the whole series, I might completely rewrite it, but this series will always be close to my heart. Thank you for reading. I hope to see you in my future works.


End file.
